


Handy for the Heart

by Petri808



Series: Inuyasha Short Stories & One Shots [43]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Construction, F/M, Fantasizing, Higurashi Shrine, Home, Spiritual Powers, handyman, light nsfw tease, reiki, shrine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:07:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24659611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Petri808/pseuds/Petri808
Summary: With grandpa Higurashi getting older, the family hires on a handyman (Inuyasha) to help fix up an old shed.  The offer is made for him to stay on full time as a grounds keeper, and Kagome can't help but be pulled towards this new guy who teaches her more about shrine life than she'd ever known before.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Series: Inuyasha Short Stories & One Shots [43]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/796353
Comments: 3
Kudos: 40





	Handy for the Heart

**Author's Note:**

> finished for InuKag Week 2020 prompt Home. inspired by an art piece (see link in body)

Based on art: <https://clearwillow.tumblr.com/post/612336698559447040/petri808-clearwillow-handyman-hanyou-hes>

“Kagome,” her mother calls from the kitchen, “could you help me with something?”

The young woman walks over, popping her head through the frame. “Sure, what do you need?”

Mrs. Higurashi smiles, pointing next to her to a large bottle of water and bento box. “I need to finish making lunch for everyone, so could you please take this to the handyman your grandfather hired to fix up the shed?”

“Aww, how sweet of you to make him lunch too,” Kagome teases her mother. “Is he cute or something?”

“If I thought he was cute, dear, I’d take it myself. Besides he’s not my type.”

Kagome picks up the items, chucking. “Okay. Then I’ll be right back.”

“Sure thing, dear.” _‘I won’t hold my breath,’_ the woman muses to herself.

She’d almost forgotten that the handyman was starting today. Grandpa was getting up there in age and while Sota could help with small tasks, for the shed job they needed someone with more experience. _‘Probably just gonna be a grungy gross… oh...my!’_

Rounding the corner of the building, Kagome was greeted with the most perfect example of male flesh that she’d ever seen… and he was only 8 feet away! Her steps grind to a halt, but her eyes slowly drink in the sight from top to bottom.

Muscles so sinewy and flexed, grip tightly to his work belt, showing off the lines and raw cut of his biceps. To the ab muscles… gloriously rock solid, her hand trembles wanting to run her palm along its taut frame. An unconscious parting of her lips, and a slight sucking in of breath to bring more air to a brain rapidly losing blood. Kami help her. This man… this hanyo was gorgeous!

Lower her eyes wander to the cut of his hips, like an arrow leading a wanting traveler to the treasure buried beneath the tufts of white. Kagome’s breathing falters at the thought of threading her fingers through this man’s happy trail to nirvana. And were those jeans painted on him? Such large, powerful thighs straining the fabric, she can almost imagine the lines of muscles pulling and stretching as he….

“Oi?”

Kagome hears the snapping of someone’s fingers and glances up to find a confused look on the man’s face.

“You just gonna keep staring or can I have my lunch now?”

 _‘Baka!’_ She chastises herself. _‘So embarrassing!’_ Kagome quickly walks over and places the lunch on a small makeshift work bench. “Oh Kami, I’m sorry that’s was completely rude of me!” 

“Tch,” the man grins knowingly and finishes draping his work belt over the bench. He picks up the bottle of water, “so, you must be the grandkid?” he then takes a long swig while he awaits her reply.

Kagome’s eyes trail over the movement of his throat, watching the Adams apple bob with each gulp of water. Up... down... his chest rising and falling as hers constricts... all repeated motions that reminds her of another carnal act. She swallows back the buildup of saliva tormenting her throat, as if she was staring at the most delicious piece of steak she’d even seen. And maybe she has.

“Y-Yeah, that would be me,” she mumbles in the midst of her daydreaming. Her eyes are still focused on the handyman, but her mind was barely present.

“Ya got a name Miko?”

 _‘miko?’_ Her mind snaps to attention. “It’s Kagome, and I’m not a priestess here.”

The man turns his nose to the air briefly. “My senses say otherwise.” Shrugging, “Don’t matter to me anyways.” He places the bottle down and proceeds to eat from the bento.

“Well sir? I gave you my name, it’s only fair you give me yours.”

“Inuyasha.”

“It’s nice to meet you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I should return to the main house now.” Kagome nods her head towards the man and turns to leave.

“Oi, before you leave, you gonna be the one bringing the lunches to me every day?” 

“Maybe? Why?”

He shrugs. “Just wondering.”

Kagome’s eyebrow raises, but she says nothing in retort, just wishes him a good day and leaves. She had a bone to pick with someone. 

Inuyasha watches the woman walk away with a cheeky grin. When he’d been hired by the old geezer that runs the shrine, the man never made mention of his granddaughters true lineage. Probably didn’t realize what the girl was in possession of. Not that it was of any interest to him. 

_‘Cheeky wench,’_ his grin widens. _‘Look at her swing those hips.’_ He notes the curvature of Kagome’s hourglass frame and licks his lips as her skirt flows from side to side with each step. His nose never lies, and the woman definitely saw something she liked in him as he did in her. _‘This is gonna be an interesting week...’_

“MO--MM!!” As soon as Kagome steps into the kitchen and sees her mother standing near the counter sipping her tea with the widest grin, her jaw drops. “You set me up!”

“I have no idea what you mean dear,” the woman smiles sweetly and takes another sip of her tea. 

Kagome’s face scrunches in semi-amused disgust. “You said he wasn’t cute.”

“I said he wasn’t my type... and he’s not, was I wrong? You know I’m more interested in a bookworm.” The woman puts her cup down. “I assume you saw something you liked.”

“W-well he’s not... ugly if that’s what you mean.” Kagome walks over to the fridge and pulls out a bottle of water. She needed to cool off. 

“I’m so glad to hear that,” Mrs. Higurashi muses, “because your grandfather is considering keeping him on as a grounds keeper.”

The gulp she’d just taken catches in her throat. Kagome sputters, banging her fist against her chest in shock at her mother’s words. “Wait, wait, what??”

“With Sota leaving for college in a month, and your grandfather getting older, we need the help.”

“But mom…”

“Get used to him Kagome, Inuyasha may be here for the long haul,” Mrs. Higurashi winks and walks out of the kitchen.

The young woman didn’t know if she wanted to throw a tantrum or thank her lucky stars for this turn of events. A fine ass hanyo who was good with his hands… Kagome shivers from the thought and racing heat swelling in her body. It had been a couple of years since she’d broken up with her last boyfriend and needless to say, she was a little lonely in a certain department. _‘Stop it,’_ she chastises herself. Even if that was a tempting idea, it was also a bad one. Bedroom romp buddies yet having to still live and work around each other… That could end up really awkward! 

“Okay fine,” Kagome sighs aloud to the empty room. If Inuyasha was sticking around, she’ll do her best to get to know him better at least for the sake of comfort. Maybe if she could have normal conversations with him instead of treating him as eye-candy, “this… this could work.”

But the surprises just kept on coming. 

For the rest of the afternoon, Kagome went about her chores like normal, sweeping around the shrine, dusting, and other upkeeping. When visitors arrived, she performed her duties, helping in the gift shop or taking offerings. She could hear Inuyasha working. The sounds of a saw or hammering going on. They were a constant reminder that the man was really there, and a constant distraction for her mind that wanted nothing more than to run his image through a slow-motion filter, pausing at all the best features… then repeat.

At the end of the day, she helps her grandfather close up the shrine then heads over to the house to help her mother get dinner ready for the family. With the two women working together, it takes about an hour. It seemed like a bigger spread than usual but maybe her mother wanted leftovers for lunch the next day. 

Kagome walks out holding a sashimono container of rice to put on the dining table, when she sees a familiar pair of fluffy ears peeking out over the back of the couch. Okay, nobody told her Inuyasha was staying for dinner too! Her mother was no help, for the moment she returned, she could already see the smirk on the woman’s face as she handed Kagome another plate to run out. The young woman narrows her eyes but says nothing as finishes setting the table. 

“So, Inuyasha,” Mrs. Higurashi starts off a conversation in the middle of dinner. “Have you thought about the offer to come on board full time?”

“Yes, ma’am. But I haven’t decided yet, if that’s okay.”

Mrs. Higurashi waves her hand, “of course! Take your time and just let us know by the end of the week. We really do appreciate all your hard work,” the woman looks at her daughter, “right, Kagome?”

The young woman who’d been trying to ignore making any visual contact through dinner, eyes flare open, glaring at her mother for a split second before catching herself and screwing a sweet smile onto her face. “We do appreciate everything.” While grandfather and Sota watch on in confusion at the strange interactions happening between the three individuals. 

“Oh, I bet you do appreciate it,” Inuyasha grins at Kagome who quickly looks away to hide the growing flush of her cheeks, while Mrs. Higurashi chuckles. “But anyway, I should get going. Thank you for the meal and I shall see you bright and early tomorrow.”

“I thought you don’t have a place to stay,” grandpa Higurashi steps in.

“Not my own place, no. My buddy Miroku is letting me crash on his couch till I find a new apartment.”

Intrigued, Kagome tilts her head, and questions the man. “Why would you leave one apartment before finding a new one?”

“Because I didn’t have a choice. The old owner didn’t care about who I was, but the new building owner has a grudge against yokai and evicted me. It’s fine, really, I’ll find something soon enough.” He stands and bows, “thank you for the meal,” then takes his leave.

Kagome watches the man go, and once he’s out the door, sits back in her chair. Wow, to be evicted over what he is? That’s so cruel! Inuyasha couldn’t help being born a yokai, and technically he’s not even full blooded. At least he has a friend he can crash on a couch with, but it still wasn’t fair. 

That evening, she just couldn’t stop thinking about Inuyasha. Not the fantasy guy she was drooling over earlier, but the man who despite a crappy set of circumstances still worked hard and was polite for the most part. Her grandfather told her that Inuyasha’s parents were both deceased and while he had an older half-brother, they didn’t get along which meant he didn’t really have a family anymore. She herself had lost her father at an early age, so such emotions were not lost on her.

There was definitely something she could do about it.

“Hey,” Kagome holds up a bento box and bottle of water with a smile, “lunch time.”

Inuyasha looks up from his measurements and smiles back. “Thanks, um you can just leave it. I’m sure you have your own things to get back to.”

“Nope,” her eyes crinkle as her smile widens. “Since you’re considering staying on board, I _thought_ … we should get to know each other.” 

His eyebrow raises and he places his tools down. “Alright.” Inuyasha wasn’t sure where this was really coming from but who was he to turn away the company. “Um,” looking around, “where do you wanna eat?” It’s not like there was anywhere to sit comfortably where they were.

“We can use the well house building. There’s shade and we can sit on the edge of the stone.”

Now he narrows his eyes in confusion. “You’re comfortable in there?”

“Why wouldn’t I be,” she tips her head slightly, “it’s just full of relics.”

“Okay, if you’re not bothered by it, I guess it’s fine.” 

Kagome pushes aside the strange insinuations. She really had no idea what Inuyasha was talking about. Sure, the well house held all sorts of stuff in it that her grandfather claimed to be powerful relics of bygone eras, but she thought the old man was just too caught up in the mysticism. While she may be respectful of their beliefs, didn’t mean she bought into all of the stories, many of which just sounded too good to be true.

Inuyasha holds the door open for them, motioning for her to enter first since she carried the food. They take a seat along the edge of the worn stone of the well and Kagome passes over his lunch and drink. He preferred to avoid this building since he could feel all the residual reiki coming from the ancient artifacts lining the shelves around the room. Even the well itself gave off a strange vibe to it. None of it could hurt him, it just made him feel weird. 

He side-eyes the woman next to him who appeared completely oblivious. She had miko energy running through her, but perhaps didn’t know it or was never taught to use it. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes he wished he couldn’t. Maybe such gifts were handy in the past but in modern times, it wasn’t really needed. Most people went about their lives, following traditions, though never truly understanding the spiritual side that lives all around them. 

“So, tell me something about yourself Inuyasha. It doesn’t need to be too personal, just anything you’re willing to share.”

“I don’t know, like what?”

“I don’t know,” she chuckles, “how about, why did you pick construction?”

He shrugs his shoulders. “I’m not the brightest with books nor care for them, but I’m good with my hands. Now, your turn. Tell me something about you.”

“Hmm, lets see. I went to college for nursing, but after I got my degree I decided to come home to help out with the shrine.” She sighs, “once my grandfather can no longer perform the priest duties, I’m not sure what we’ll do to keep this place going.”

“Why don’t you do it?”

Kagome laughs, “me? You really seem to believe I have some kind of power, huh? But I have no training to be a priestess.”

Inuyasha puts his container to the side and slides closer to her. “Give me your hand,” he holds out his, “I’ll help you.”

Despite thinking it was all ridiculous, she obliges, adding a roll of her eyes for added measure. 

“Yeah, woman, I know you don’t believe it, but humor me okay.”

“Fine. What do you want me to do?”

“Close your eyes…” he leans in closer as his voice grows softer. “Tune out all the background sounds around us and just focus on your inner senses. There is energy in everything, surrounding you, like the sunlight bathing you in its glow. Feel your own energy inside of you, focus on it, see it in your mind…”

Using his own senses, Inuyasha can feel something stirring inside of her. It’s definitely there, just waiting to be guided and nurtured like a dormant bear in hibernation trying to wake up in the Spring. 

“… good, you’re doing great. Now reach out with your energy, pretend that your energy is an extension of your arm, your hands, your fingers searching for other sources around you.”

Was it getting warmer in the room? Frankly Kagome wasn’t sure what was happening. Her body _felt_ hot, but it could also be because Inuyasha’s breath was fanning over her neck or that his close proximity was arousing her in other ways. Sure, there was a sensation as if she was feeling something other than Inuyasha. Ever had that strange feeling of being watched or that someone is standing behind you. But she chalked it up to the power of suggestion. He told her there were things in this room and her mind may just be latching onto the idea. That didn’t make it true. She feels him move away from her. 

“Keep your eyes closed.”

His voice is distant. She hears him rummaging, maybe on one of the shelves, then footsteps. Her body is telling her Inuyasha was now standing in front of her, his energy hitting like waves against her own. What in the world?! He places something in her hands. It’s not very heavy, there’s a film… dust maybe. But he keeps her from scanning it with her fingers to determine what it might be.

“Just focus your energy onto the item in your hand. Try to read it with your mind, what it is telling you about the item?”

“It’s light?”

“Not the weight,” he sighs, “what kind of energy are you getting from it. Focus on it.”

“Okay, okay,” she huffs at his annoyed tone. Kagome takes a deep breath and her brows furrow as she tries to concentrate, telling herself this wasn’t a dumb idea or that they should probably get back to work. She shuts off any other thoughts and just stares at the back of her eyelids in a pseudo meditation. After a few minutes, she wants to give up, but his gentle coaxing had resumed, lulling her mind with his soft voice and guiding efforts.

 _Strange_ … a darker shadow began to fall over her vision as if someone was blocking the light, and yet, the light coming through her eyelids remained the same. Kagome grimaces as a feeling of sadness and anger fills her body. Okay now this was getting creepy. “Look, I don’t know what this is, but it feels really bad all of a sudden.”

As soon as she says those words, she feels Inuyasha take the item from her hands. “You’re right! Open your eyes now.” When she does, that’s when she realizes the item, she had been holding was an old Noh mask. “Have you seen this before?” She shakes her head. “It was in a box.” Inuyasha puts it away, then returns and sits down beside her. “Tell me what you felt, why did you feel bad?”

She shrugs, “I felt sad and angry.”

He chuckles, “I don’t know what that things story is, but it’s evil for sure. You can ask your grandfather about it later. But see, you are able to sense stuff.” Inuyasha grins. “If you keep working on it, you’ll get better at it.”

Kagome shivers, “eww, why would I want to? So, I can sense creepy stuff like that?”

Again, he chuckles, “no! There’s other uses for this power too.”

She leans in, narrowing her eyes at him. “Like what?”

He matches her, bringing their faces a mere two inches apart. “So, you can figure out what I’m feeling. Like I can sense off of you.”

“Really? And what am I feeling, Inuyasha?” 

“Excited, aroused,” he grins, “but scared and nervous even though you’re doing your best to hide it by posturing.”

“Wh-what?! No, I’m not.” Okay, maybe it was all true. 

“Really?” His fingers graze the bottom of her chin, tipping it up with barely any pressure placed on it. “I can feel your reiki trying to wrap around mine, Kagome. Deny it all you want, but something in your eyes says you know it’s true.”

"I-I, n-no, it’s just a warm day and you’re so close, that’s why my body is getting hotter.”

At that moment, Inuyasha closes his eyes for a second as he sends a stronger wave of his yokai reiki at her. Her light gasp at the impact and the shiver he sees when he opens his eyes brings a bigger smirk to his face. “Now I know you felt that.”

“T-That means nothing. Your probably just really strong.”

“Kagome, normal humans can’t feel that. You’re special, you should accept it.” 

A light blush filters onto her cheeks. She averts her eyes to the ground, “you think I’m special?”

Using just the tip of his finger, Inuyasha guides her gaze back to him. He leans closer until his lips are almost touching hers, whispering in a soft sultry tone, “I do. How does that make you feel?”

 _‘Kami!’_ an uncontrollable shiver rivulets through her frame. Was it his tone, the words, or the sensation of his energy wrapping around her body that caused the reaction? Like a magnetic attraction, her own energy suddenly flares up in response to meet his. It was like her own body was betraying her true thoughts and she was powerless to control it. 

He chuckles at the influx of reiki hitting him and melding with his own. This woman didn’t need to say a word for him to know her answer. She was the first person he’s ever met who’s spirit accept his own in such a way. It left him curious and a little shaken, but he didn’t want to show that and scare her. Only minutes ago, Kagome had no idea this power had been locked away inside her, and the last thing he wanted to happen was for her to be scared of it. Pulling away slightly so he can better look into her eyes, “do you understand what just happened?”

She shakes her head, searching his golden hues and begging for an explanation. It didn’t feel bad like when she’d held the mask, just the opposite in fact. An idea stirred in her mind, but she was so uncertain of the truth, it was better to hear him out.

“When you meet someone for the first time, have you ever gotten those vibes like, they seem good or no, this person makes me feel weird, or I don’t trust this person?”

“Yeah…”

“It’s something like that, our energy either excepts or rejects the energy around us, sort of like determining what you should or shouldn’t trust. And it appears ours accepted each other’s,” he smiles, “which I’d say is a good thing.”

Who was the miko here, cause it sure felt like Inuyasha was the one putting her under a spell!

“You should stay, here, with me,” Kagome blurts out. “Us! I-I mean us, you know the offer and everything. My family could really use your help here at the shrine.” _‘Baka, baka, baka!’_ she wanted to jump into the well and hide! Ugh, her cheeks must be the same color as a strawberry right now!

Inuyasha chuckles. “You really want me to stay, huh?”

She closes her eyes briefly. He might take offense to what she was about to say, but to hell with it because it came down to what she was really thinking. “You don’t have a home, but here you will,” she even nods her head to drive the point through, “and a family. In fact, I won’t take no for an answer.”

That takes him by complete surprise. His eyes flare wide, mouth hangs open, and she braces herself to get told to fuck off, because who the hell was, she to tell him what to do. But she sits up straighter and holds his stare with conviction.

“Woman you really are something else,” the man finally cackles. “If you want me to stay that bad, I’ll oblige ya.”

“Good,” Kagome stands up and gathers their lunch containers. “I should let you get back to work and get back to mine. See you at dinner?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Kagome nods a bow and walks away on cloud nine, practically strutting while he just watches and shakes his head, chuckling to himself. 

A minute later Inuyasha hears, _‘yes! Yes! Yes! Whoo hoo!’_ and laugh’s even more. Apparently, the woman forgot he could hear at distances. He gets back to what he was doing, measuring some cuts to a piece of wood he was working on, even though his mind was only half in it. He assumed the grandfather told her about his family situation, but instead of getting mad, it actually made him smile. He’d just met these people yesterday and already they were making him feel like he was part of a family again. Inuyasha pulls out his cell phone and dials his friend. “Hey Miroku, yeah, looks like I won’t need to borrow the couch much longer…” 


End file.
